The US Food and Drug Administration has given marketing clearance to a blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, making the test the first to get signoff to aid in the early detection of the disease in the United States.

The first in vitro diagnostic device that uses blood samples to detect Alzheimer disease has been granted marketing clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Lumipulse G pTau217/ß-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio is approved for the early detection of amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer disease in patients aged 55 years and older who are showing signs of the disease.